Insightful Commentary from and on the Canadian Film World

The Prodigal Dad (WFF Review)

When you have a significant other, or a life partner, that’s when things change your life, usually for the better. But what happens if you lose your life partner? How can you handle it? In this feature film, the question is answered in a funny and interesting way. A dentist named George (Brad Dryborough) loses his wife who dies in an accident while they hike up a mountain together. Now all George has left is his daughter Lily (Krystyna Kozlowski) who lives with a bunch of friends and is working hard to finish a paper so she can get into grad school. With George feeling down all the time, his co-workers insist he take a month off because it’s been so long since he’s had a vacation. But where does someone like George go? Straight to his daughter’s home where he lives with the rowdy students and develops into a different person. A VERY different person. As if that’s not enough to upset Lily, her professor Jasper (David Lewis) doesn’t show a promising grade on her paper, hindering her chances of entering grad school.

I really enjoyed watching this movie. It was a riot, in a good way. The plot is humorous and well-established. I loved how creative they made the story. The characters themselves remind me so much of people I know in real life who have experienced similar situations like this (Not this situation exactly, but situations somewhat like this). Sometimes, hanging out with Dad isn’t the always best thing when it’s sure to get out of hand. The soundtrack has music with an original and incredible feel which really helps to increase the mood in scenes, whether it be beach volleyball or a crazy party. It shows that even though things may get chaotic, there’s always a chance to rework things after all.